Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-09-06
LAMINlTiS IN HORSES.
Popularity OF the Diseases and How 1t May
lie Successfully Treated.

Prof. Grange, of the Michigan Agri-
cultural College, has recently Issued n
bulletin on laminilis, which will be Of
great value to farmers in remote dis
tricts. Laminitis is disease of the
foot of the horse, which is often brought
directly under the notice of the owners
of these animals, and which, in many
instances, from the want of knowledge
of the causes of the complaint, unfor-
tunate creatures are subjected to the
most excrutiating pair, ald their own
ers to much pecuniay loss, as well rs
other ineonvonienees. The disease has
from time to time been the subject of
much difference of opinion as to its To-
cation, consequently it is known under
a variety of names, given according to
the fancy of the observer; but the
one which we oftcncst hear applied to
it is chest founder, which term, how
ever, is not altogether appropriate, but
may, perhaps, be excused when taken
into consideration the origin Of it, and
this can be traced to two sources.
In the first place it may have arisen
from the fact that inflammation of the
lungs is sometimes thought to fly from
the chest to the feet, but this is of eX-
ceedingly rare occurrence, as far rs
my observation has gone. Secondly,
it may have arisen from the fact that II
large majority of cases brought under
our notice have shown that those large
round muscles, forming the front of
the chest or bosom, and situated be-
tween the fore legs, have suddenly
vanished as it were, giving the chest II
sunken or hollow appearance, which,
to the casual observer, might natur-
ally be thought the seat of the disease.
The treatment of this disease mate
rally depends upon the cause, and if it
has been produced by spontaneous
diarrhea or the abuse of purgativc
medicine, any thing which will tend to
unduly increase the action of the
bowels, should be carefully avoided,
and those remedies which are used to
allay pain and reduce fever may be
given with advantage.
'For these purposes" says the pro-
fessor, 81 found great benefit from tho
use Of tincture of aconite, given in
doses of abont ten to fifteen drops in u
few ounces of water every two hours,
until four or five doses have been given.
The aconite may be followed by nitrate
of potash in two drachm doses, dis
solved in half pint Of water every
four hours, for from two to four days.
On the other hand, if the disease is the
result of an overloaded condition of tho
bowels, the superfuous food may be
gotten rid of by the aid of laxatives-
say twenty-five fluid ounces of raw
linseed oil will generally answer. The
animal should not have any thing in
the shape of solid food, such as hay or
straw, for Mt least twcnty-four hours
after the oil is given, but the diet ought
to be of laxative nature; warm bran
mashes and the like have good effect.
When the laxative has done acting the
nitrate of potash may be given as
above.
During the last two summers / have
had occasion TO treat a number of cases.
the result of over-driving on very hot
days, and have found very great bene-
fit from the free use of nitrate of pot
ASH gave one and half ounces in a
pint of water every four hours until
three doses had been given, then
stopped for eight hours, when the doses
were to be repeated. | would repeat \
second time if the patient was not do
ing well; laxative food should be given
and the animal allowed to drink somo-
what sparingly.
"The local treatment is of great inn
portance and consists in the applica-
ton of moisture, in the shape of water,
to the feet, which may be applied in
the manner most convenient, in mod
crate weather. have found very ben
cficial effects from standing an animal
in stream of water for several hours
a day, taking care, however, that their
bodies were well protected from in
clement weather or not sun. Nnen
animals have desire to lie down APP
ply wet swabs to their coronets. In
other instances puddle made with
blue clay and water, about the consist
ance of fresh glazier's putty, to which
a few handfuls OF salt may be added,
has proved useful. The puddle should
be made so that the horse will sink
into il for from about four to six inches.
Exercise should be given from the first,
and should be repeated three times
day, being increased from say ten min
utes to half an hour at time, rs the
horse gets better Animals that pro-
gress favorably from the beginning
may be driven moderately in about
two weeks. Y Herald.